You may know OK Go from their infamous viral videos on YouTube – including the treadmill dance routine in “Here it Goes Again” – from their previous album Oh No. Of the Blue Colour of the Sky is the latest album from the unique digital rock band.
The album starts out with a Prince-like track, appropriately titled “WTF?” OTBCOTS is a departure from their first two albums, with a funkier, dancier sound. The album’s tunes lack catchiness, but this is part of the attraction. Like Vampire Weekend, they pull off pop songs without falling into the dreaded mainstream, Top-40-type category.
The upbeat feel of the album is shown in songs “This Too Shall Pass” and “White Knuckles,” which show traces of Mika and Daft Punk, respectively. The more melancholy feel of the album is shown in “Skyscrapers,” “Last Leaf,” and “While You Were Asleep,” all of which show heartfelt lyrics, such as, “If you should be the last autumn leaf hanging from the tree / I’ll still be here waiting on the breeze to bring you down to me.”
Overall, OTBCOTS is an eclectic mix of different styles, stemming from a variety of influences from Prince to MGMT. It’s a fun album with surprising surges of energy, as well as refreshing displays of softness.